Friday, July 18, 2008

Hizballah tactic: Missile ambushes for Israel aircraft and ships

Hizballah has marked the conclusion of the prisoner exchange with Israel by launching new tactics consisting of anti-air missile ambushes against Israeli Air Force flights over Lebanon and anti-ship missiles against Israel naval craft cruising off its shores.

DEBKAfile’s military sources report that Hizballah has taken charge of the missile campaign while handing the Lebanese national army the task of attacking Israeli outposts at the Shaaba Farms enclave and the Mt. Dov slopes of the Hermon range.It was clear Wednesday, July 16, that Hizballah was now calling the shots in Beirut when the president and government were forced to honor the spectacular heroes’ welcome the Shiite group organized for the five imprisoned terrorists released by Israel.President Michel Sleiman, former chief of staff, obediently repeated his demand of the day before for Israel to evacuate its troops from the two outposts. If diplomatic efforts failed to remove them, he said, then the Lebanese army must go into action.Our military sources add that anti-air missiles and radar equipment have been installed on the Mt. Sannine peak in central Lebanon in the last few days, as DEBKAfile first revealed (in a report picked up by the world media).

From that strategic height, Hizballah is preparing to shoot down encroaching Israel flights after taking instruction from Iranian intelligence and air defense officers in tactics on how to lay missile ambushes for aerial targets.With the help of Iranian and Syrian military experts, Hizballah has ranged the length of the Lebanese coast a dense line of 1,000 Iranian C-802 anti-ship missiles, which have a range of 120 km. Skimming 6-7 meters above the water’s surface, these missiles have certain cruise features and are extremely hard to target. (It is highly probable that Hizballah is now in possession of the C-802A, an improved variant which features an increased range of 180km!).The coastal missile deployment has been boosted by new radar stations and light reconnaissance planes and helicopters for tracking the naval craft cruising opposite the Lebanese coast. The thousands of Hizballah militiamen manning the system were trained in Iran and Syria.

Haaretz(July 18, 2008):"Recent reports in the Lebanese media suggest that completing the prisoner exchange with Israel may bring about a change in Hezbollah's military actions. The Israel Defense Forces, meanwhile, fears that Hezbollah will now seek ways to act against the IDF in Lebanon. It could attack Israeli military aircraft, ships or soldiers entering Lebanese space or territory, in violation of the UN resolution that ended the 2006 war."